Automatic timing apparatus for multiple photographic printing



L. S. RENNICK.

AUTOMATIC TIMING APPARATUS FOR MULTIPLE PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTING.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE I9, I9I9.

Patented Dec. 7, 1920.

3 3HEETSSHEET I.

amumdoz L. S. RENNICK.

AUTOMATIC TIMING APPARATUS FOR MULTIPLE PHOIOGRAPHIC PRINTING.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 19, I9l9.

1,361,349. Patented Dec. 7,1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

In //XV L. S. RENNICK.

AUTOMATIC TIMING APPARATUS FOR MULTIPLE PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTING.

APPLICATION men JUNE 19. ms.

. 1,361,349. Patented Dec. 7, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

I l I I I l z'cil'u'a 5 'fz czare ri Picture L L: 5: Kenneth A, fi/W LM attorney UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LYLE S. RENNICK, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO FRED HARTSOOK, INC., OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA.

AUTOMATIC TIMING APPARATUS FOR MULTIPLE PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 7, 192 0.

Application filed June 19, 1919. Serial No. 305,330.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, LYLE S. RENNIUK, a citizen of the United States, residin in the city and county of San Francisco, btate of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Timing Apparatus for Multiple Photographic Printing, ofwhich the'followin'g is a specification.

My invention is an automatic timing apparatus for multiple photographic printing.

In this specification and the annexed drawings I disclose my invention in the form which I consider the best, but I do not limit my invention to such form because it may be embodied in other forms, and it is to be understood that in and by the claims following the description herein I intend to cover my invention in whatever form it may be embodied.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of my invention.

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2. p

Fig. 4 is a diagram of the electric printing lamp circuit.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 55 of Fig. 1 showing the automatic lam switch held open.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view corresponding to Fig. 5 but showing the automatic lamp switch disengaged and closed.

Fig. 7 is a vertical section of the air valve.

Fig. 8 is a view of the mask for reducing the size of the printed picture. I

Fig. 9 is a view of a unitary sheet of printing paper illustrating my method of successivel printing pictures thereon.

In the 'rawings 1 indicates a base plate provided with a light openin 2 formed with a shoulder 3 in its upper e ge in which rests the edge of the negative 4, thus supporting the negative in osition to be printed. An upstanding strip 5 extends longitudinally of the base plate intermediate its side edges. A scale 6 15 marked on the base and the front of the strip 5 at the side of the opening 2 for measuring off the printing paper and gaging the same with relation to the negative. A clamp 7 is provided for clamping the printing paper upon the negative to print the pictures which clamp includes a plate 8, hinged to the base plate 1 at the rear of opening 2 by hinges 9 and a pad 10 secured to the under side of plate 8 for engaging and pressing the printing paper upon the negative 4. On the upper side of the plate 8 is mounted a light controlling switch 11 which includes two contacts 12 and 13 secured to said plate, and a lever 14 hinged at its lower end to the lower part of plate 8 by hinge 15 for engaging and pressing contact 13 down against contact 12 for closing the light circuit, the upper end of said lever being in such position that it is grasped and swung down in swinging down the clamp to clamp the printing paper on the negative. Eyes 16 and 17 are secured to the outer ends of plate 8 and lever 14 and a cord 18 is connected to said eyes for limiting the outward movement of lever 14 after it has allowed contact 13 to disengage contact 12. A spring 20 is connected at one end to the back of lever 14 and at its other end to a bracket 21 upstanding from the base plate 1 rearwardly of the clamp, which spring normally holds the clamp elevated at an angle above the negative. An air pump 25 is mounted in brackets 26 and 27 upstanding from the base plate 1 at the rear of the plate, which pump includes a cylinder 28, a piston 29 mounted to reciprocate in said cylinder, and

a needle valve 30 into which one end of said cylinder extends. To the outer end of piston 28 is secured a cap 31 adapted to fit over the outer end of the cylinder 28 which projects through a bracket 27. A switch 32 is mounted on the outside of bracket 27 which includes a spring contact member 33 secured by screw 34 at one end to said bracket and a contact member 35 secured at one end by screw 36 to a block 37 of insulation, said block being in turn secured by screw 36 to bracket 27. A piston rod 38 extends from the piston 29 beyond the cap 31 through an opening 39 in bracket 21. A. spring -10 is connected at one end to bracket tion. A sliding pawl 42 mounted on piston rod 38 includes a sleeve 43 'slidable on said piston rod and a pawl 44 pivoted on said sleeve, on the end of which pawl is a tooth 45 for engaging a notch 46 in thetop of said piston rod. Said pawl has a depending pin 46 for engaging a stop screw 47 in a bracket 48 upstanding from the base plate 1. A cord 50 is connected at one end to a pin 51 on sleeve 43 and extends through bracket opening 39 over pulleys 52 and 53 mounted on bracket 31 and is connected at its other end to the back of switch lever 14 near the upper end thereof. A spring 54 is connected atits ends respectively to pin 51 and to the bracket 27 and normally holds cord 50 taut, while the clamp 7 is held up by spring 20, and the pawl tooth 45 in engagement with notch 46 as shown in Fig. 1. The valve 30 has a port 60 communicating with the ylinder 28 and a port 61 leading downwardly from port 60 to the atmosphere. A needle valve stem 62 screws into the valve body and has a conical point 62 adapted to seat in the upper part of port 61 and close the valve and the cylinder 28 to the atmosphere. The valve stem has a hand wheel 63 on-its upper end for turning the stem to cause it to seat and unseat in the upper part of the port 61 to control the admission to and escape of the air from the cylinder 28. On the top of brackets 26 and 27 is secured a plate 64 on which is marked a scale 65 to which points an indicator 66 secured to the upper part of the stem 62 to indicate the degree ofclosure of the valve by stem 62, thus determining time it will take the piston 29 to move back to the inner limit of its stroke under the influence of spring 40 when the pawl 44 releases the piston rod at the outer limit of its stroke as will be more fully described.

The base plate 1, with the parts described mounted thereon, rests upon a table 70 provided with an opening 71 therein with which opening the opening 2 in base plate 1 registers. A light box 72 is built on the under side of table 70 directly under the openings 71 and 2, in which box are mounted electric printing lamps 73, '74, 75, 76 and 77 and an electric pilot lamp 78 over which pilot lamp is mounted an orange shade 79. An opal glass 80 rests in opening 71 on lugs 81 secured in the walls of said opening.

Referring to Fig. 4 the electric wiring is as follows: From one brush of a generator 90 extends a lead 91 to one terminal of pilot lamp 78, and from the other brush of said generator extends a lead 92 to the other terminal of said pilot lamp. A lead 93 connects lead 91 and switch member A lead 94 connects switch member 33 and switch member 12. A lead 95 connects switch member 13 to one terminal of lamps 73, 74, 77 7 5 and 76 successively. A lead 96 connects lead 91 to the other terminal of lamps 73, 77, 76, 75 and 74 successively. The pilot lamp 78 is always lighted by the current passing through it from generator 90 through leads 91 and 92.

In order to reduce the size of the picture I place a mask 100 over the inner upper edge of the light box 72 and under the ne ative and clamp the negative b spring 0 amps 101 mounted on the base p ate 1, said clamps in cluding swinging arms 102 which may be swung over the inner edge of the negative.

The operation of my invention is as follows:

Heretofore it has been the custom to cut a sheet of printing paper into a number of smaller sheets the size of the picture and print the negative on each smaller sheet separately. lVith m invention 1 do not cut the larger sheet 0 printing paper for printing but print the negative on different parts of the sheets successivel and then cut the sheet between the printer parts into separate photographs. This is done by first placing the printing sheet upon the base plate 1 with the right end part upon the negative and the rest of the sheet over the scale 6 with the upper edge of the sheet against the strip 5 which serves as a guide, and moving the sheet to the right over the negative and printing the pictures on the sheet successively. The operator turns the hand wheel 63, until the indicator 66 points to the number of the scale 65 corresponding to the number of time units necessary to print a picture from the negative 4, and the valve point 62 positions itself with relation to its seat to allow the air to be forced out of the cylinder 28'through the valve 30 by the inward movement of the piston 29 under the influence of spring 40 in the time indicated on the scale by the indi cator. The operator then grasps the upper end of the clamp 7 and switch lever 14 and swings down the clamp upon the printing paper over the negative 4, clamping the paper upon the negative, during which operation the lever 14 presses switch contact member 13 into contact with switch member 12 and the piston rod 38 and piston 29 are drawn to the right by the cord 50 and pawl 42 engaging notch 46 drawing air through the valve 30 into the cylinder 28, whereupon the head 31 releases spring contact 33, which springs into contact with contact 35, and the stop 47 engages pawl pin 42 and swings pawl 44 out of engagement with notch 46. The engagement of contacts 13 and 12 and the engagement of contacts 33 and 35 closes the printing light circuit, the lamps 73, 74, 75, 76 and 77 being lighted by the current passing through them from the generator 90 through leads 91, lead 93, switch contacts 35 and 33, lead 94, switch contacts 12 and 13, lead 95, lead 96 and lead 92 back to said gen erator, and the light of said lamps, through the opal glass 80 begins printing the picture of the negative 4 on the ri ht end portion of the printing pa er which is clamped upon the negative. T 1e disengagement of the pawl 44 from the notch 46 allows the s rin 40 to draw the iston slowl in- P e y wardly within the 'cylin r 28 against the air in the cylinder, forcing the air out of the cylinder through the valve 30, until the head 31 engages sprin r contact 33 and disengages said contact rom contact 35, breaking the. light circuit and automatically causing the printing of the picture to stop. The time that ittakes the piston to move inwardly within the. cylinder and force the air out of the cylinder and break the light circuit corresponds to the time indicated on the scale 65 by the indicator 66, thus giving the printing pa er the proper exposure to the negative anr printing the pictureon the right end portion of the printing paper. The operator then releases the clamp, whereupon the spring 20 swings up the clamp and releases the printing paper, and the spring 54 draws the cord 50 taut and the pawl 44 back into engagement with the notch 46. The printing paper is then moved to the right over the negative .4 into position to print the next picture on the paper to the left of the first printed picture, the distance which the paper is so moved to bring it into position to print the next picture being measured by the operator by the scale 6. The next picture and the succeeding pictures are printed on the printing paper in the same manner as the first picture is printed, and the printing of all the pictures is automatically timed and all pictures given exactly the same exposure. The printing paper is then removed and after developing, washing and drying it is cut between the pictures, cutting the pictures from the paper.

My apparatusand method of printing pictures successively on a unitary sheet of printing paper automatically gives all the pictures the same exposure and facilitates quantitative printing of pictures.

Having described my invention I claim:

1. In an apparatus of the character as disclosed, a negative support, a negative mounted on said support, a clamp pivoted to be swung down upon the printing paper on the negative to clamp the paper upon the negative, a light, a switch on said clamp in the light circuit to be grasped and closed when the clamp is so swung down, and means for automatically closing the light circuit to print the picture when the clamp is so swung down and for automatically shutting off the light when the picture has been printed a predetermined time.

2. In an apparatus of the character as disclosed. a negative support, a negative mounted in said support, a clamp pivoted to be swung down upon the printing paper on the negative to clamp the paper upon the negative, a light, a switch on said clamp in the light circuit including two contacts mounted on said clamp and a switch lever pivoted on said clamp in position to be grasped to engage one of said contacts and press it in contact with the other contact to close the switch when the clamp is swung down upon the paper, and means for closing the light circuit when the clamp is so swung down and for automatically shutting off the light when the picture has been exposed a predetermined time.

3. In an apparatus of the character as disclosed, a negative support, a negative mounted in said support, a clamp pivoted to be swung down upon the printing paper on the negative to clamp the paper to the negative, a light, a switch on said clamp in the light circuit including two contacts on said clamp and a lever pivoted on said clamp in position to be grasped to engage one of said contacts to press it into contact with the other contact when the clamp is so swung down to close the switch, means for closing the light circuit when the clamp is so swung down and for automatically shutting off the light when the picture has printed a predetermined time', and means for opening said switch and returning said clamp and said automatic shut ofl means to normal position when the picture has been printed and the clamp released.

4:. In an apparatus for automatically timing the exposure of pictures, a pneumatic pump, means for clamping the printing paper upon the negative, means whereby the pump p ston is drawn out when the paper is clamped upon the negative and the printing light lighted to print the picture, and means for drawing the piston slowly into the pump cylinder and forcing the air out of said cylinder and automatically shutting off the light in a predetermined time.

In an apparatus for automatically timing .the exposure of pictures, means for clamping the printing paper upon the negative, a pneumatic pump, means actuated by the clamp means for drawing the pump piston out of the pump cylinder when the printing paper is clamped upon the negative, a printing light lighted to rint the picture when the paper is clamped on the negative and said piston drawn out, means for releasing the exposure of pictures, means for clamping the printing paper upon the negative, a pneumatic pump, means actuated by the clamp means for drawing the pump piston out of the pump cylinder when the printing paper is clamped on the negative, a printing light lighted to print the picture when the paper is clamped on the negative and said piston is drawn out of said cylinder, means for releasing the piston from the clamp means when the paper has been clamped on the negative and said light lighted, means for drawing the piston into the cylinder and forcing the air out of the cylinder and automaticall shutting off the light at a predetermine time, a screw needle valve for controlling the escape of air from the cylinder and the time of inward movement of the piston and exposure of the picture, a scale, and an indicator on the screw needle of the valve for pointing to said scale to indicate the predetermined time of exposure.

7. In an apparatus for automatically timing the exposure of pictures, means for clamping the printing paper upon the negative, a pneumatic pump, a spring for nor mally holding the piston within said cylinder, a printing light, a switch controlling the light circuit, a head on said piston for holding said switch open under the influence of said spring, a piston rod formed with a notch, a sliding pawl on said piston rod, a cord connecting said clamping means and said pawl for drawing said piston out and allowing said switch to close when the paper is clamped on said negative by said clamp, means for disengaging said pawl from said notch when the paper has been clamped on the negative to allow said piston and rod under the influence of said spring to move inward and force the air out of the cylinder and the piston head to open said switch and shut off said light at a predetermined time, and a spring connected to said pawl for returning said pawl into engagement with said notch when the clamp disengages the paper on the negative.

8. In an apparatus of the character dis-' closed, a base plate, means on said base plate for holding a negative, a light, a guide strip for guiding a strip of printing paper over said negative intermittently for printing said negative successively on said paper, a clamp pivoted to be swung down to clamp said paper on said negative in position to be printed, a switch on said clamp in the light circuit in position to be grasped and closed when swinging and holding the clamp down, means for closing said light circuit when said clamp is so swung down and for automatically shutting off the light when a picture has been printed a predetermined time.

9. In an apparatus of the character disclosed, a base plate, means on said base plate for holding a negative, a light, a guide strip for guiding a strip of printing paper over said negative intermittently for printing said negative successively on said paper, a clamp pivoted to be swung down to clamp said paper on said negative in position to be printed, a switch on said clamp in the light circuit in position to be grasped and closed when swinging and holding the clamp down, means for closing said light circuit when said clamp is so swung down and for automatically shutting off the light when a picture has been printed at predetermined time; and means for automaticall withdrawing said clam when released eac time a picture is printe on said paper.

10. In an ap aratus of the character disclosed, a base p ate, means on said base plate for holding a negative, a light, a guide strip for guidin a strip of printing paper over said negative intermittently for printing said'negative successively on said paper, a clamp pivoted to be swung down to clamp said paper on said negative in position to be printed, a switch on said clamp in the light circuit in position to be grasped and closed when swinging and holding the clamp down, means for closing said light circuit when said clamp is so swung down and for automatically shutting ofi the light when a picture has been printed for a predetermined time; and means for automatically withdrawing said clamp and opening said clamp switch when the clamp is released each time a picture is printed on said paper.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto afiix my signature.

LYLE S. RENNICK. 

